I am refinishing the fore deck on my 1959 Thompson 19' Off Shore after 13 years of service with Smith's Five Year Clear. This is a custom mahogany striped deck like you would see on a Chris Craft. Also I am repainting the Honda 90 to match A vintage 1960's Johnson motor hood, matching the paint scheme and mounting most of the hardware and metal name plates to the Honda hood. I found an almost perfect hood on ebay and tried to actually use the Johnson hood before deciding there was too much bodywork involved. Since I am painting the engine I removed it and then of course I had to strip the transom as well. All bright work will get several new coats except the foredeck behind the windshield, and the windshield frame, they still look new. I will post more photos soon.

Just completed the re badge of my 1998 Honda 90 to look more vintage on my 1959 Off Shore. I had seen a Suzuki that was made to look like a vintage 1950's mercury that turned out very well. I found a very nice 1964 Johnson 100HP hood on ebay for $100 and removed the metal name plates from the sides and rear and the front access door to adjust the carbs. I cut holes in the Honda hood to mount the access door and marked the holes to line up with the mounting studs on the name plates. They required a little bit of bending to match the contour of the Honda. I matched the paint scheme to the original hood color. After 14 years this motor has served me well, changed spark plugs once, didn't need it, change the impeller once, looked new, must have at least 4-5000 hours on this motor. Boat is undergoing the every 13 year refinish of the foredeck; was stripped, stained, has 10 coats of varnish, will caulk the seams and then two coats of Smith's 5 Year Clear, they don't make it any more but I have some left over from a previous job. The decks, transom, motor well, cabinets, rear seat, sheer strake, windshield frame are also getting additional coats, polished the chrome of which there is almost too much to be respectable: Chris Craft hatch, double horns, siren, lifting ring, two chocks, two hand rails, big Chris Craft bow light. This 5 year finish has lasted 13 years. sitting mostly uncovered in a covered boathouse. Plan on taking to Keels and Wheels in Houston in May.Andy Butchard817.401.3888

I am so glad you posted this. I am quite far from finishing my 65 20' Offshore (Peshtigo), but have been thinking about the motor. I want to put a modern 90 hp (4 stroke) Honda on it. Was thinking of way to make it look retro. Your idea is great, now it's an issue of finding emblems etc.

Big question, is yours a heavy 4 stroke? The weight of these is around 360 lbs, 100 lbs heavier than an old Merc for example. I am thinking of beefing up a new transom (mine is shot), by sandwiching 3/4 marine plywood between outside and inside layer of Mahoney, epoxy the whole thing together. Did you do anything to the transom to beef it up?. Extra brackets running to keel or stringers?

Did you paint the motor shaft, or just the hood?

Sorry to all you diehards who are cringing when I mention a new motor on an old boat, ... I want some quiet and reliability.

What timing! I just painted my 50 hp Honda yesterday. Thank You to Andy B for the inspiration . The hard part is getting all the grease and oil off, and scuff sanding the nooks and crannies. I used Moeller brand spray paint made for boat motors. I used the 1964 to 1974 Johnson color. I used the gray primer, and will put the clear coat on too. The painting was super easy. I purchased the emblems on ebay, and I also found on ebay the gold band, still in the original box.

If you are worried about the weight (and maintenance) of a four stroke, check out the Evinrude E-Tec two strokes. They are lighter by far than the 4's, have much more torch, and require much less annual maintenance. They are just as sophisticated as the 4's, just as quite, just as efficient, and virtually just as clean running. I've friend that has a pair they are just fabulous motors. Google e-tec for a set uf cool demo vid's

I love modern motors! When I got my Off Shore in 2000 the transom had issues so we installed a solid plank, triple layered transom so there is no issues with the 378 LB Honda. We triple planked just tot he top of transom at motor mount, did not triple all the way up to the decks. I will post some pics. The double planked transom after so many years may need some bracing even for a vintage motor of max allowable HP. I think plywood sandwiched between the two plank layers would greatly add to the strength. I had a 1959 14' Thompson that we hit a stump and when the motor dropped back it cracked the outer transom plank along the lower motor mount. I installed a single piece of plywood on the inside of the transom to beef it up. It was an amateur job but it worked well, I could have done a better job of fitting and trimming it. If the current transom is in good condition that may be an easy way to add strength. I painted the entire motor the color of the lower section of the Johnson 90. I took the hood to paint store and matched the colors. The paint on the Honda 50 looks great. I had a 1997 Honda 50 and at idle the only thing you knew it was running was because the water stream was peeing into the lake, quietest motor I have ever had! ebay is a good source for old hoods with emblems. The engineering on the 1964 Johnson hood was really something, probably 60 pieces including all the emblem pieces, trim, fasteners, and the two part hood fastened together, the Honda had maybe 10 pieces, no wonder they can make them cheaper but not prettier. Hope to launch "Leviathan" at the 25th Eagle Mountain Classic Boat Club boat show next weekend after replacement of port garboard plank, sistered all ribs from keel to keelson, painted hull, new varnish, stripped, caulked, and 12 coasts of varnish on foredeck. Just went on cruise on "Helios", my 1963 22' Sea Lane, replaced U joints in Volvo outdrive. Hope the ice melts soon on the northern lakes.